Method and apparatus for embossing



July 31, 1956 L. J. CHAMBON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING Filed Nov. 24, 1953 WM 0 I n o 4 9 4 I 0a 08, n a 5 .1 I

M I I M W I G v. N m 7. w 0 a I 0c .1 v F M nnnumn n l ouo vf United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMBOSSING Louis Jean Chambon, Paris, France, assignor to Societe a Responsabilite Limitee dite: Soeiete dEtudes de Machines Speciales, Paris, France Application November 24, 1953, Serial No. 394,118 Claims priority, application France December 18, 1952 4 Claims. (Cl. 101-32) This invention relates to apparatus and processes for the relief printing of embossed material and has particular although not exclusive reference to apparatus and processes for relief printing aluminium, aluminium alloy and other materials which have been provided with a superficial silk-like embossing effect.

It is known to use aluminium or aluminium alloy etc. as a wrapping material for certain products. Such wrapping materials may be provided with a silk-like embossed surface to impart sufficient rigidity to the aluminium to enable it to undergo the various packing operations. The silk-like embossed effect dulls any subsequent impression made on the surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy, etc. It is an advantage of the present process that it enables an impression to be made in smoothed and slightly raised areas and an accurate and glossy impression to be obtained.

According to the present invention a method for the relief printing of embossed material comprises passing the material between two rollers the first of which bears in relief at least part of the matter to be printed on the material with the result that the embossing is flattened out in the areas of the material to be printed, the material then passing between the said first roller and a third roller which allows the areas flattened out to be raised in relief by said first cylinder.

A particular method also includes passing the material through a printing or ink applying unit which supplies ink to the raised areas.

A process and apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, of Which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine employing a method in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 and 3 are a section and plan view respectively of an aluminium foil after a first operation, Fig. 2 being a section along the line IIII of Fig. 3;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views after a second operation, Fig. 4 being a section on the line lV-IV in Fig. 5;

Figs. 6 and 7 show the foil after a third operation, Fig. 6 being a section on the line VIVI in Fig. 7.

The layout of one form of apparatus for relief printing according to the present invention is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, with the material M to be printed shown travelling in the direction indicated by the arrows F. The material may be, for example, aluminium foil.

A first pair of cylinders 1 and 2 embosses the ground on the material M to be printed (for example a silk-like embossed effect). After this first operation, the material has the appearance shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the thickness of the embossed aluminium foil being magnified for the better showing of the pattern.

The material M then passes in between cylinders 3 and 4. These two cylinders 3 and 4 are made from relatively hard material but whilst the surface of cylinder 3 is completely smooth to form a continuous bearing surface to the material, the other cylinder 4 is formed with raised characters or portions 11 having a contour designed in accordance with the subject to be printed. Both cylinders 3, 4 are pressed against each other with a force sufficient to roll the strip M of material on the surface portions thereof engaged by the raised portions 11 while obliterating the initially embossed portions correspondv other 5 lined with a sheath .of yielding material 12.

The pressure exerted between these cylinders 4 and 5 is adjusted to a value permitting the raised portions 11 of cylinder 4 to sink the smooth surface portions of the design in the yielding lining 12 of cylinder 5. Subsequent to this third operation the smooth character, as

shown at 10 in Figs. 6 and 7, projects from the embossed foundation, the latter remaining exactly applied on the cylinder '4.

The strip of material M is then carried along by the cylinder 4 in the direction of the arrow F5 and moves past 7. Upon completion of this fourth operation the smooth an inking cylinder 6 fed from any suitable and known means. In the arrangement illustrated in the drawing, this inking cylinder 6 is fed by contact with an ink-taking cylinder. 8 dipping in a coloring fluid contained in a vat and raised design is colored by contact with the inking cylinder 6.

It is also possible to produce a multi-coloured impression by using several cylinders 6, but in. this case clearances must be provided so that only the required colour is deposited on a particular area. Thus each printing roller 6 has raised areas corresponding to the areas of the material on which it is desired to print, thus clearance is provided for intervening areas.

In the example described, it is seen that all operations except the preliminary embossing are performed while the foil travels continuously round the single cylinder 4, apart from the advantage of the clearaness of the impression, this arrangement simplifies the machine considerably. The process is not restricted to aluminium or aluminium alloy but may be applied to any material so long as the latter is capable of retaining all the embossing and die-stamping effects produced on it.

It will be understood that several sets of rollers 3, 4, 5 may be employed, each rollers 4 in each set bearing part of the matter to be printed. Furthermore perfect register between the areas flattened and then raised in relief is ensured because the processes are performed on the same roller.

What I claim is:

1. A method of manufacturing from a plain strip of material a strip representing a design appearing in smooth raised configuration on an embossed foundation, this method comprising the step of embossing said strip by pressing same by means of a hard surface formed with the desired embossed pattern against a bearing surface, another step consisting in forming the smooth design by pressing said strip by means of a smooth and hard surface against a printing surface carrying said design in the form of raised portions of said printing surface, and a third step consisting in causing said smooth design to appear in the form of a raised design by pressing said strip by means of a smooth and yielding surface against said printing surface.

2. A method of manufacturing a plain strip of material Patented July 31, 1956 a strip representing a design appearing in smooth raised configuration on an embossed foundation, this method comprising the step of embossing said strip by pressing same by means of a hard surface formed with the desired embossed pattern against a bearing surface, another step consisting in forming the smooth design by pressing said strip by means of a smooth and hard surface against a printing surface carrying said design in the form of raised portions of said printing surface, a third step consisting in causing said smooth design to. appear in the form of a raised design by pressing said strip by means of a smooth and yielding surface against said printing surface, and

4. A machine for continuously manufacturing from a smooth strip of metal a strip on which a raised, smooth and colored design appears on an embossed foundation, said machine comprising a pair of embossing cylinders rotating in opposite directions and driving said strip therebetween as they perform the embossing operation, a rotatably driven rigid bearing cylinder having a smooth and hard surface, the arrangement being such as to cause said a fourth step consisting in coloring said raised design supported by said printing surface by utilizing a smoot surface soaked with a coloring substance and contacting said raised smooth design.

3. A machine for continuously manufacturing from a smooth strip of material a strip on which a design appears in smooth raised configuration on an embossed foundation, this machine comprising a pair of embossing cylinders driven for rotation in opposite directions so as to cause said strip of material to move therebetween for performing the embossing operation, a rotatably driven rigid bearing cylinder formed with a smooth and hard surface, said strip being passed over said bearing cylinder, a printing cylinder formed with raised portions shaped to the contours of said design, said printing cylinder being rotated in the direction opposite to that of said bearing cylinder so as to press said strip thereagainst whereby, due to the local crushing of said strip, said smooth design will be formed on said strip, and said strip Will be carried along, and a yielding bearing cylinder having a resiliently deformable surface and rotating in a direction opposite to that of said printing cylinder, said printing cylinder pressing said strip against said yielding bearing cylinder to cause said smooth design to appear as a raised pattern on said strip due to sinking of said smooth design in the resiliently deformable surface of said yielding bearing cylinder, said completed strip being subsequently fed from the machine.

strip to pass over said bearing cylinder, a printing cylinder formed with raised portions representing said design, said printing cylinder being mounted for rotation in a direction opposite to that of said bearing cylinder so as to press said strip by flattening of said strip, and causing said strip to be carried along by said printing and bearing cylinders, another bearing cylinder having a resilient deformable surface, rotatably driven in a direction opposite to that of said printing cylinder, said strip being pressed by said printing cylinder against said other bearing cylinder so as to cause said smooth design to appear in the form of raised portions due to the sinking of said design in the resiliently deformable surface of said yielding bearing cylinder While carrying along said strip, and a smoothsurfaced inking cylinder rotatably driven in a direction opposite to that of said printing cylinder and against which said printing cylinder is adapted to press said raised smooth design on said strip while coloring design and carrying along the thus completed strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 805,699 Avril Nov. 28, 1973 5 842,890 Kleinewefers Feb. 5, 1967 1,277,835 Bergman Sept. 3, 1918 1,812,514 Christian June 30, 1931 2,076,993 Jackson Apr. 13, 1937 2,611,312 Illner Sept. 23, 1952 2,667,426 Davis Ian. 26, 1954 

